For the Love of the Broken Man (Love & Cowboys #3)

9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

“I thought these were illegal?” Dan took a puff of the short Cuban cigar as he and Jon sat under a large umbrella on the pool deck. Mickey and Jase were in the pool entertaining the girls with dolphin rides, where the girls rode on their backs while the two men swam around. Terry and his friend, Clay Monroe, were with Clay’s mom in Richmond at a mall.

Dan noticed the word mall wasn’t said aloud in front of Megan, and he could commiserate as to why. Kayley’s selective hearing—which never seemed to kick-in when he scolded her or told her to clean up her toys—always tuned in when anyone used the “m” word.

The boys needed camping gear for a planned soccer team outing for a few days next month after school was out, and Dan had watched with a smile as Mickey went over the list with Terry, emphasizing that Terry should follow it to the letter. It made Dan laugh because the boy rolled his eyes every few seconds before he finally grabbed the list, kissed Mickey on the cheek and took off up the stairs to change clothes.

“A client of my dad’s gave ‘em to him, but Mom won’t let him keep ‘em at the house in Richmond. He has a humidor in his office here, so I grabbed us two and left an IOU.” Jon was referring to the cigars, as a huge plume of blue smoke billowed into the air.

“You like livin’ out here, Jon? I thought you were more the city type.” Dan loved the country life, but he knew Jon had grown up in Richmond, which was likely more exciting than living in Dillwyn. It was probably much like the life Jase had lived in his many travels that were more exciting than living in Holloway.

“I thought I’d hate it at first, but having a family changed it for me. I still take Megan into Richmond every day because that’s where her doctors are and her school. If this area was able to offer any of the same services as we get in Richmond, I’d open a small private practice here in a heartbeat. It would be nice to come home for lunch and be at all of Terry’s games.

“But, for now, I’m too young to retire, and I just earned my partnership so that’s not in the cards. Meg and I don’t mind the ride. It’s only an hour each way. She sleeps on the way to school in the morning, and we get to talk about her day in the afternoon. When I get home, Mick takes her, and they have their time while I hang with Terry and talk or play video games, or sometimes, he and I go ride the fences for the guys.

“We feel like we’re doing our part, but I know Mick and the guys keep up with things here, as does my mother. She and Pop come out once a month, and every couple of months, we spend the weekend in town with them where we take the kids to museums or the theater, so I see it as having the best of both worlds.”

Dan took another puff and contemplated what the man had said for a moment, knowing there was no way he could offer Kayley the same experience in life. “I don’t know about museums and stuff because I barely got outta high school, and I have no desire to move to the city.”

Jon laughed. “I think you’ve found your soul mate in Jason. He doesn’t seem to care for the big city either, based on a few comments he’s made to us about the places he’s lived over the years.”

That perked Danny up. “Uh, what do ya mean?”

“Earlier, when he and I were cleaning up the lunch dishes, I asked him how he thought he’d like living out here, considering he’s lived in seven different places all over the country. He said the one thing he’s never had is roots, and that’s what he wants to put down, roots. You think you could help him with that Dan? My Mickey wants the same thing, which was what made it hard for him to leave Holloway. Of course, you all made it easy for Jase to want to go somewhere else by treating him like shit. Shame on all of ya,” Jon scolded with a tender smile.

“Yeah, I know, we dropped the ball on Jase. Matt and Tim are fightin’ like two cats in a sack over him. I swear, in all the years I’ve known Matt Collins, I’ve never seen him so jealous or actin’ like such a damn fool.”

Jon laughed. “Jason definitely looks like a younger version of Matt, and let’s face it, when someone younger or better looking comes into our territory, we all get protective. I’m not saying Matt has any reason to worry because Jase is like a little puppy who’s eager to please, but Matt should trust Tim more. Everybody knows you couldn’t blast Tim away from the bull rider.”

Dan chuckled at the reference to the term they all used for Matt. “I know. When I get back home, we’re gonna have a long talk, Matt and me. He’s gotta get over his shit because I’d like to bring Jase back to the Circle C sometime in the future. I asked him if we can get to know each other over email and phone calls, and I hope to bring Kayley here to visit over the summer, if that’s okay.

“I can’t help myself, I guess. It’s sad that Jase has me so damn whipped already, and I ain’t even kissed the guy. He’s the first person I’ve met who actually set me on my ass. I need to take my time, right?” As he said the words, Dan knew he was reasoning things out to himself, more so than to Jon.

“Oh, I’m not the right guy to ask, because I nearly fucked it up with Mickey for good. I jerked the poor guy around twice, and I’m shocked he’d even take a chance on me after how I treated him.” Dan could see Jon watching Mickey and Jase in the pool with the girls playing some game of blowing bubbles. They all looked happy, and it gave him a warm feeling in his chest.

“How’d you finally get… What’d you do to figure out your shit? What was your biggest worry?” Dan had to ask. He needed advice in the worst way.

Jon closed his eyes and took a drag off the Cuban. He opened his eyes and sat up, flipping the ash into the large ashtray on the table. “At first, I thought it was what I perceived as Mickey’s shortcomings.

“I believed Mickey and I would have nothing in common because he’d never finished high school, and he had a very different upbringing. As time went by, I couldn’t keep him out of my head, and eventually, I figured it out. I was afraid he wouldn’t have anything in common with me. I’d been so damned caught up in myself and the things I thought were important, I didn’t consider what he might want from me in a relationship.”

“That’s interesting.” Dan hadn’t looked at his situation that way.

Jon nodded. “Once I thought about it and how much I wanted to get to know him better, I was able to open my heart to the possibility there might be someone out there who was perfect for me. The more I got to know about Mick and the more I introduced him to the world in which I lived, the more he took me into his.

“It seems so natural now, us living here on the farm, but in the beginning, I couldn’t see how it would work. My parents were a help, but it was Mickey who gave up the things he loved at the time—the people at the Katydid and the Circle C—to come here to be with us. Living here at the farm was a compromise in the beginning, but looking back, I would never have it any other way.” Jon nodded his head, seemingly happy with his answer.

The discussion gave Danny a lot to think about. Mickey was a pretty persuasive guy, which Danny wasn’t, and Jase? The kid seemed a little lost. Dan wasn’t sure what to do with him—or about him—but he knew he had fallen in love with the young man in just the short, few hours he’d spent with him.

What to do about it? Dan wasn’t certain. He had the feeling he’d be in a bad spot without Jase around.

“ Watch me! Watch me, Uncle Danny!” Kayley called from inside the pool where Jase had been working with her to jump off the side at the deep end and he would catch her.

The pool was six feet deep there, and Danny knew Jase had been teaching both girls to swim. He’d confessed to being on a few swim teams over the years and he’d taken swim lessons on and off when he was a kid. His last summer job was as a lifeguard at the community pool on post at Ft. Bliss the summer between his junior and senior years of high school.

“I’m watchin’, Sweet Pea,” Dan answered as she jumped up in the air and tucked her legs into her body, doing a cannonball which Jase quickly pulled her out of.

When she came up, he moved her hair out of her face and praised her for a job well done, bringing that glowing smile to her little face that Danny loved to see. He hated the thought of the two of them leaving the next day to return to Holloway because Dan hated the idea of leaving Jase behind.

“Good job, Sweet Pea,” Dan praised as he walked to the pool and slipped into the water, leaving Jon and Mickey at the table.

“Me now! Watch me, Daddy and Poppy!” Megan called out.

Dan took Kayley as Jase lined up to catch Megan, only letting her dip into the water a little before he brought her up. Dan could tell Jase had determined he’d give Meg the same treatment he gave Kayley. He needed to reassure Jase the little girl might have a few differences, like the new glasses she wore when she wasn’t in the pool, but she wasn’t fragile.

“Great job, little one,” Mickey praised as he and Jon joined the contingent in the pool.

They let the girls continue to jump from the side, taking turns catching, until they were all worn out. “Let’s put them in a chaise under the umbrella. They can nap and we can continue to be outside. It’s too nice to go in.” Mickey picked up Megan and Kayley, placing the girls on a double lounger and covering them with a towel as he positioned a large umbrella above them to combat the sun.

It was a hot day, but there were fans around the pool helping to make the heat tolerable. As Dan and Jase sat inside the pool on the built-in bench watching the baseball game on the television on the deck, Dan slipped a little closer to the younger man. He definitely had to start thinking about Jase as a man, not a kid, before he creeped himself out.

Finally, he took a deep breath and put his arm around Jase’s back along the side of the pool, not touching, but opening the space between them. “So, you’ll call me and email me? I really want to get to know you better.” Dan’s voice was quiet, for Jase’s ears only.

Jase bristled a little before scooting closer, their legs touching under the water. “You really want me to? You sure that’s not guilt talking?”

Dan chuckled. “Not hardly. If I didn’t want to get to know you, I’d have dropped you off and turned the truck and trailer around after I found out Josie was fine.” Dan had to wonder why he didn’t do just that, but then Jase grinned, and he had his answer.

“Look, Jase, I’ll be honest. We didn’t get off to the best start, but that’s because you just caught me off guard through no fault of your own. I fucked it up, but I don’t want to be the guy who was an asshole, so maybe we give each other another chance? You and I get to know each other, and I’ll come here as often as I can get a weekend off. Kayley would love to come here on a regular basis because she loves Meggie, and they get along well. What do you say?” Dan moved his arm closer around Jase’s shoulders, touching his right shoulder as they both pretended to watch the game.

When Jase settled into his embrace, Danny’s heart sped like a hummingbird’s wings. The feel of his skin against Jase’s bare flesh was remarkable. It was warm and soft, and he wanted to pull the younger man into a kiss, but the timing wasn’t right— yet . The day would come when it would be— if Danny played his cards right.

Dinner consisted of Chinese from a place in Dillwyn that Jon and Mickey loved. Dan hadn’t ever had Chinese, so he let Jase pick for him and Kayley, and when the food arrived, Jon and Mickey carried in three bags.

“That seems like a lot of food.” Dan and Jase pulled out plates and flatware from where Mickey directed so they could set the table.

“You gotta try a little bit of everything to see what you like.” Mickey started opening containers and glancing inside. He explained the dishes as they set them in the center of the table.

Mickey and Jase filled plates for Megan and Kayley as the front door opened. Terry came bustling inside with a big smile on his face as he rubbed his large hands together. That kid’s gonna be huge!

“I thought I smelled China Grove. You get my favorite?” Terry stepped closer into the kitchen and scanned the containers on the table, his face falling a bit.

Mickey turned to the center island and handed him a large container with a smile. “Kung Pao Shrimp with chili sauce. Don’t come knockin’ on our door for Tums, young man. You do this to yourself every time.” Mickey’s teasing made the boy smile.

“Aw, now Pop, you love me, or you wouldn’t order it.” Everyone laughed at the boy’s comment and made room for him at the table. The chatter was lively, and Dan found he actually liked the food.

He’d only ventured out with sweet and sour chicken, but Jase had offered a taste of his beef and broccoli, and Dan liked it as well. Chinese was a new thing he’d add to his list of likes.

He watched Kayley devouring some fried rice, and he knew they had a hit on their hands. Everyone traded food around so they each got a taste of everything. The only thing Dan didn’t like was some sort of duck thing Jon had ordered. It came with green onions, a heavy sauce, and little pancake things. Mickey made one for him, and Dan tasted it, but it wasn’t to his liking. He passed it off to Jase, who ate it happily.

After food and cleanup, Terry excused himself to go upstairs to finish an essay for his English final. He was a freshman, and from what Dan had heard, he was doing well in school.

The rest of the group went to the family room to watch a movie the girls had chosen, Fox and the Hound . Before they got through the first ten minutes, two little beauties were curled up together, sleeping soundly.

“Let’s take them up. It’s only eight. You guys want to go back to the pool? I’ll let Terry know we’re outside in case the girls wake up,” Mickey suggested.

Danny had an idea. “Uh, how about I go help Jase unpack his stuff and you guys go ahead and swim? I wanna make sure he’s settled.”

When he got no negative reactions from anyone, Danny helped them get the girls upstairs and dressed for bed. Mick told him to lock the door when he came inside, and they parted ways.

Dan, still dressed in swim trunks and a T-shirt, followed Jase up to his garage apartment, not sure why he’d made the suggestion or what the fuck he thought would happen.

They were both in the bedroom, and Jase was unpacking his duffel. Dan could tell he was uneasy, and he felt the nerves himself. Finally, his brain went into the negative space he tried to stay out of as much as possible.

“You’re too young for me. You’re eighteen and I’m twenty-seven. I’ve got a… well, you can see the damn scars on my leg. I have a mother who’s dyin’, and I’m raisin’ Kayley by myself. I can’t imagine what I’d have to offer—”

Jase walked over to him and placed a finger on his lips before he gently knelt to trace his finger along the rough scar on Danny’s leg from his knee to his ankle. Dan was surprised he was so forward, but he could see a look of determination on the younger man’s face. “Let’s just take one thing at a time, okay?”

He stood and leaned forward to brush his full, soft lips against Danny’s, nearly sending the guy to his knees. Danny Johnson had been kissed before, but never as sweetly as Jase had kissed him. It sent his mind wandering and it was hard to rein himself in. He wanted to take the young man to bed, but that was out of the question.

When Jase swept his hot tongue over Dan’s lips, he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around the guy’s waist and pull him closer as those long arms went around his shoulders in a tender embrace. Their tongues swirled and tangled together, bringing soft moans from each of them. Dan knew he’d never felt anything so jolting in all his years. He had no idea what the kid—what Jase was feeling, but he hoped it was as life altering as Dan was experiencing at that moment.

The two men ground together before Danny pulled away and looked up into those clear, bright blue eyes, smiling. “I think we better stop before we make a mess. Let’s get you unpacked.”

They went to the duffel and backpack and began sorting Jase’s clothes. Dan could see he’d need more things, but he’d keep his mouth shut because he knew the guy didn’t have money, and Dan didn’t have any to spare.

Hell, he was down to three pairs of jeans himself. Jase needed a pair of work boots aside from the muck boots he’d brought along, so Dan decided he’d mention it to Mickey when Jase wasn’t around to save the brunet any embarrassment.

After they moved the furniture around a little bit, Dan felt tired, and it was time to end the night. His prick was so hard it could bust granite, and he needed time alone.

What he longed for was to sleep with Jase in his bed to get the relief he desired, but it was far too soon. They needed time to get to know each other, and the distance would be good for them to do just that, Dan was sure.

“G’night.” Dan gently kissed Jase before he walked down the stairs of the carriage house.

“Thanks, Danny.” He didn’t look back or he’d never leave. The realization made his heart stumble.

“You got everything, Sweet Pea?” Danny was helping Kayley gather her things on Sunday evening. They’d spent as much time at Wonderland as they could. They needed to go home to get ready for Monday morning because Dan had to work at the ranch and Kayley had day camp, which was a new event to change their usual routine.

Kayley had spent time with Jeri Simmons while Dan worked the first week of the summer, and afternoons the next week because she went to vacation Bible school at the Methodist church in town. Dan would drop her off in the morning and Miss Jeri would pick her up before lunch and spend time with her the rest of the afternoon as he finished his day at the Circle C.

No doubt, Dan owed the woman for helping him out, but she refused to accept money when he’d offered, telling him it was a “ delight to get to spend time with a little girl. I’m surrounded by men and boys all the time. ” He planned to figure out something special he and Kayley could do for Miss Jeri before the summer was over.

The day camp for Kayley was a little expensive, but it had a lot of activities—kid’s cooking, swimming, a trip to Richmond to see a play, plus lots of classes given by guest artisans—and Danny knew Kayley was looking forward to it. Brittany, a friend from Mrs. Philips’ daycare, was going to the same place, so he knew Kayley would acclimate easily.

“I’m ready.” Kayley walked out with her hair in another crooked ponytail. Dan needed to learn how to do something with her long hair because the adorable little girl wanted so much to have fancy braids and ponytails like her friends—her friends who had mothers who seemed to specialize in elaborate braids and hairdos. It plucked at Danny’s heartstrings to accept that he had no ability to do the same.

Dan was sure Kayley would balk at cutting her hair to make his life easier, but in reality, he couldn’t imagine her without the blond waves like her mother had when she was younger, anymore than he could imagine himself bald.

As they walked down the stairs, Dan saw Megan, Terry, Mick, and Jon waiting for them in the family room. “You guys got everything?” Mickey grinned.

They stopped, and Dan looked around. “Where’s Jase?” He didn’t care what they took away from his question.

He noticed Mickey glance at Jon and smile. “He had a question for you before you left. He’s at the barn.” Jon’s smile matched Mickeys as the two men held hands.

“Go ahead. We’ll get Kayley settled in the truck. Tell Matt and Tim I’ll send reports about Josie. She’ll be fine, I promise.” Mickey gave Dan a reassuring wink.

Meggie walked over to Kayley and reached out to hug her. “I’ll miss you,” the little girl with the curly brown hair whispered.

Dan watched as Kayley pushed it back off her face. “I’ll get Uncle Danny to take me to Miss Katie’s house, and I’ll ask her to show me how to braid, I promise. She has long hair, and I’ve seen her braid it. I’ll make Uncle Danny let me call you, okay?”

Meggie hugged her and smiled when she pulled away, straightening her glasses. “You’ll be back soon. I heard my daddy say so.” Terry stepped forward to hug Kayley, too.

“Go!” Mickey pushed Danny toward the back door.

Dan nodded and left their bags on the floor before he went out the back door, pulling on his boots. He went to the barn to find Jase brushing a mare he’d tied to a ring in the hallway. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“This is Rosie. She’s a jumper, and Mrs. Wells is coming out one of the next few weekends to show me what that means. She’s very gentle, and I plan to learn everything I can about horses.” Jase placed the brush into a small toolbox affixed to the side of a stall.

He turned to walk over to where Dan stood. As Dan opened his mouth to speak, the younger man sealed a soft kiss to his lips. He pulled away with a smile, leaving Dan completely stunned. “Look, I know you don’t want to care about me, but I think you already like me… Like, like me, so I have one request.

“You have to worry about Kayley, so give me a month before you come back. Let me start learning things here so maybe I can come back to Holloway and… Hell, Danny, I don’t know what else to say. I know you’re worried about me being so young, so let me grow up a little, but don’t leave me behind, okay? You have my phone number and my email address. I can’t guarantee how often I’d be able to visit Holloway, but I’d like us to give things a try.”

Danny wanted the same thing, so he reached for Jase and pulled him into his arms. To give him a gentle kiss. “You got it. Whatever you want. Come say goodbye to Kayley. She’s already as attached to you as I am.”

Jase wrapped his long arm around Danny’s shoulder as the two of them walked out of the barn together, breaking apart as they approached the truck and empty trailer.

Jase picked up Kayley and gave her a hug, which made Dan happy. “You behave yourself, Sweet Pea. See if you can get Dan to send me some of the pictures you draw at camp. I need stuff to hang in my apartment.” Kayley smiled, nodded, and wiggled to get down, not one who liked to be carried. Jase helped her into her booster and secured the seatbelt around her before he kissed her cheek.

Dan walked over to Mickey and hugged him. “Take care of him.”

Mickey nodded before Dan pulled away to shake Jon’s hand. “I’ll call you this week regarding the issue we discussed. Be safe getting home.” Dan nodded.

With a deep breath, Dan walked over to the truck and climbed in without looking back. He felt as if his heart was going to seize up and stop beating, but when he glanced in the left rearview, he saw Jase standing by himself, waving. Dan rolled down the window and waved back before they turned onto the blacktop, leaving Wonderland Farm behind, but hopefully, not for too long.

He’d committed to keeping in touch with Jason Langston, and Dan meant it with all his heart. The boy—young man—meant a lot to him, so he’d live up to his word. It wouldn’t be easy to be away from Jase, he was sure, but not much had been easy in Dan’s life. It hadn’t stopped him yet.